Author: Kasia

Following a weekend of terrorist bombings which India accused Pakistan of involvement, skirmishing at the Kashmiri Line of Control brings about urgent talks: Kashmir Rivals to Discuss Firing (BBC News) Columnist Eugene Robinson denounces White House memos calling for a sort of “middle ground on torture” as a “hideous affront to this nation’s honor and…

Reversing original statement claiming small-arms fire, the U.S. military admits soldiers panicked and fired upon a car speeding to work in secure zone: U.S. Concedes Victims Were Law Abiding, Not Insurgents (McClatchy) Sunni attacks in Iraq continue to demonstrate upheaval over the Shiite prominence and Kurdish claims to Kirkuk: Suicide Attacks Kill 57 in Baghdad,…

Guantanamo detainee who provided information is now charged by the US in a court that does not recognize the right against self-incrimination: Hamdan Case is Built on His Own Words (Los Angeles Times) As sectarian strife continues, new unity government in Lebanon tackles the issue of militia weapons: Fresh Clashes Shake Lebanese City (BBC News)…

Britain would like the current Hamas-Israel ceasefire to inspire major world powers to engage in dialogue with the militant group: UK MPs Call for Talks with Hamas (BBC News) China’s has exaggerated Olympics terror threat to justify harsh control in Muslim Uighur territory: China Says Breaks Up International Terrorist Cell (New York Times) Muslim Brotherhood…

Sectarian disputes over the oil-rich Kirkuk province paralyze the Iraqi electoral process… Talabani Denounces Election Law (BBC News) … meanwhile the US ignores the underlying political and socio-economic problems, using military gains as a standard for success in the country: U.S. Military Says Iraq Troop “Surge” Has Ended (Reuters) Faced with the real-world situation in…

Regardless of the next American administration, Arabs do not expect a change in US Middle East policy: Mideast Sees More of the Same if Obama Is Elected (New York Times) Recent ceasefire provides a window of opportunity to address Gaza’s deteriorating waste infrastructure: Israel-Hamas Standoff Deepens Water Woes (Christian Science Monitor) Residents fear Fallujah leaders…

Ahmadinejad sticks with uranium enrichment program, but says the recent discussions with world powers were “a step ahead”… Iran Praises Latest Nuclear Talks (AP/Wiredispatch) … meanwhile US Secretary of State Rice criticizes Iran’s “small talk about culture” and threatens new sanctions, and the British Prime Minister, keeping Israeli interests in mind, threatened Iran with “growing…

Amid concerns over growing conflicts, recent deals and discussions across the Middle East signify foreign policy reassessments, giving some reason to be optimistic: Talks Signal Mideast Shift (New York Times) As increasing numbers of US lawmakers visit Iraq in order to understand current conditions and policy problems… Baghdad Embassy Has Its Hands Full With Hill…

As Hizbullah supporters see it, the recent release of detainees proves that Israel only understands force: Despite Delays, Prisoner Swap Leaves Hezbollah Emboldened (Christian Science Monitor) US Secretary of Defense cites military performance of civilian tasks and lack of attention to economic and political growth as the chief reasons for failure in Iraq and Afghanistan:…